Bar coal



BAR coAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IFiled Dec. 30. 1921 n QN hm. 4 wmv MN Lw q f Y bl f E 1i mm. mm m1/wm wiwi i mdfmmmfllwff ,A fml. l W w u Ee mn .mtl Lw um Aug. 2s, ms. l

,. yv. F. MCDEVITT BAR GOL Filed Dec. so, 1921 4 sheets-sheet i Aug. v28, A'1923,

vW. F. MCDEViTT BAR GAL 4 'sheets-sheet 4 Filed Dec. so. 1921- Patented Aug. 2S, i923.

4sres trice.` A

WILLIAM: F. ivrcniivrrr, or .son-'rrr nonsnr, vnaivionr.

p Ban coni... y

Application filed December 30, 1921. Serial No. 525,952.

To @ZZ wha/m, t may concern.'

Be it known that TILLIAM F. lVloDnvrr'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Dorset, in the county of Bennington and State of Vermont, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bar Coal, of which the following is a. specification.

This invention has relation to certain newV and useful improvements in a machine for manufacturing lartificial fuel from waste.

products and has for its primary objectthe provision of a machine of the character stated which will be especially adapted for manufacturing a fuel from the waste products of mines, commonly known as culm or:

waste coal or from peat and ay pulp, properly mixed and treated'chen'iically, then pressed into sheets and finally cut into strips and blocks and coated and dried as they pass through these machines and previous to the cutting thereof, in strips or blocks.

rilhe invention has for another object the provision of a machine of the 'character4 simple in construction and arrangement and positioned and connected in such a manner as to thoroughly cooperate in the manner designed for producing a practical artificial fuel .which may be employed in various kinds of stoves and furnaces and considerably`reducing the cost of operation of said stoves and furnaces and at the same time utilizing material which has to the present time been considered more or less of a waste product, i

The invention has for a still further object the provision of a machine of the character above stated in which the various sets of rollers may be adjusted as the condil tions may require and the other parts of the machine of such construction and arrange-v ment that the machinemaybe provided at the minimum cost While at the same time providing for the'maximum efficiency of operation of the machine.

iVitli the foregoing and other objects in view as will appear as the description pro- Ymixing tanks.

ceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of cooperating elements as hereinafter more specifically set forth,claimed and' shown in i the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present application and in which: 'Figure l is a'y side elevation of the complete; machine constructed in accordance with the present invention. 1

Figure 2 is a top plan view-ofthe machine'as shown in Fig. l. v j Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the machine with the exception of the mixing tanks and the operating means therefor. Figure 4t is a transverse vertical section 4on the plane of line 4 4 of Fig. 3 of the drawings, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. p Figure '5 is al vertical section through the Figure 6 is a transverse section yon theV plane of line 6`6 of. Fig. 5, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure. 7 is a detail transverse section through the strip cutting roller, as shown on line '-Yfof Fig. 2, looking Ain the direction indicated by the arrows, thisV view showing only the construction of the roller and illustrating the same on an enlarged scale. Y l i" Figure 8 is a detail transverse section through thetransverse or block cutting.

roller, showing. this roller on a slightly enlarged scale with the cutting blades arranged therein, the view beingtaken approximately on the plane of line 8 8 of F ig. 2 and showing only the roller construction, n Fig. 9 is a vdiagrammatic view'ofl the conveying means. r y l Referring more in detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout. the

several views, l rindicates the mixing tank which is mounted on a suitable supporting frame Zand has a concaved or bowl-shaped bottom 3 so that themixture from the tank l may 'readily pass out ofthe kdischarge spout t protected-from thel bottom 3 of the mixing tank l to `the upper end of the inl clined trough 5. rlhis trough is mounted Aon suitable supportingk members 6 preferably connected to form the -framefV to sup-" portftlie trough 5. The trough 5 is also preferably curved downwardly at its lower or forward end to form a discharge or spout 8 from which the finished artificial fuel strips or blocks may be discharged into a f receiving member or the like, not shown.

AThe mixing tank 1 serves to miX a previously prepared pulp formed fromv a suitable material and preferably chemically treated before being placed in the-tank 1, with waste fuel material such as waste niateiial from mines known commonly as eulni --or with peat. '1t is to be'understood that the waste coal product or the waste wood product andthe peat may be mixed in any suitable proportions with the prepared pulp and the entire mixture thoroughly agitated and.V mixed together within the tank'l.. For properly mixing the contents of the mixing tank 1, 1 have provided a plurality of mixing bars or arms 9 of various lengths and depending `from the rota-ry disk 10 carried on the lower end of a stub-shaft 11 projeeting'throu'gh the cover 12 for the top ofthe frame for the cover 12.

Fig. 2 of the drawings the stub-shaft 17 isshown as being positioned at approximate-ly a right angle to rthe :stub-shaft 11 andy mounted in suitable bearings 18 supported by the supporting frame 19 for the stubshaft 11. This supporting frame 19` is shown as being carried by the upper portion of the mixing tank 1 as will be evident byl referring to 1 of the drawings. It will therefore be seen that the shafts. 11 and 17 will be properly supported. It may also be seen Yby referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings that the shaft 17i-haslbeen illustratedy as having a power receiving pulley 2O mounted thereon to receive powerffrom the main power belt 21 leading from a suitable source .of power, .not shown. This shaft 17 also has a pulley 22 mounted lthereon with the power transmitting belt 23 engaged therearound,

said belt 23 being; also extended around a f pulley 241 carried on the lower roller shaft 25 of the first set ofeompressing rollers, as will be later more clearly understood.

A' second or upper shaft 25 is positioned above the lower shaft 25 and slightly lfor- !wardly thereof, the purpose of which will presently appear.

A turned belt- 26 connects corresponding pulleys 27 on theV lower Aand upper shafts25 so as to drive the upper and. lower shafts 25 in. opposite direetions.-

These shafts 25 have compressing rollers 28 mounted thereon transversely ofthe trough n 5 with the lower roller 28 projecting a. suitable distance through the transverse opening 29 in the bottom of the. trough 5, while the upper roller 28 has its lower portion positioned a suitable distance below the upper edges of the side flanges 5v or longitudinal flanges or side members of the trough 5.

An adjustable idler 30 is mounted forI adjustment on the side'tlange 5 of the trough 5 so as to provide vfor tightening and loosening of the belt 26j as conditions may require.

The mounting of the idler 30 is indie-ated, at

31. The upper shaft 25 is mounted .in suitable boxings or bearings 32 adpistable in the guide frame carried on the opposite' f e 1 i Q ,i 1 side iangeso oi the trough. 5. unable ai,.- juistingserews 34 are engaged through the upper end 535 of the frame 83 for raising ant lowering the boXings or bearings 32 and `i i varxnr` Lie oi `ice U .i` tl erely 5i tl l stan between tle upper and lowerrollers 28. TheseV upper and lower rollers 28 are positioned only a Vshort distance forwardly ofthe .discharge spout 4 and the relative adpistnient of the rollers 28 will provide for proper compressing of the material as deliveredto the rollers 28, as will be clearly understood byv parties familiar with machines of this character'.

One or more additional sets of plain com# pressing rollers 28 should be provided forx wardly of tlie:i'irst set and mounted on shafts 25 as described for the first set. In

i'liedrawinosformino' aV Dart of theY resent C tf: n

application.y one additional set of plain conipressing rollers 2S has been illustra-ted. although this may be varied as desired. These rollers are numbered the saine as the first set of rollers 28 and the mountingspand construction or been employed for the'corresponding parts thereof and further details of description of this second set of rollers is believel to be unnecessary. f

Additional lower at suitable locations forwardly of the shafts 25 already described and eachof these additional shafts 25 have-a lower plainroller 28 mounted thereon vand projectingslightly into the bottom of the trough 5, as willhe readily understood by referring to the the saine corresponding with the .first setythe main reference characters have shafts'25 are provided drawings. All of the shafts25 beneath the trough 5 are mounted inV suitable bearings 25', as sho-wn in Fig. 1. A lower belt 36 eX- the lower shafts 25I for rotating these shafts allY together and in the same direction. Suitable tension rollers or idlers 38am provided for the lower belt 36, between the .lower shafts 25 and adapted to `be retained in engagement with said lower beltBG by the spring arms 39 upon which the tension rollers or idlers 38 are carried, said arms 39 tends around suitable pulleys 37 on each of being 1 secured tothe under face ofV the trough 5, as shown clearly in Fig. 8 ofthe drawings.

Above each of the radditional lower shafts '.25 is positioned an upper additional shaft 25 for cooperation therewith, as will be described. Each of these vadditional upper shafts 25 is mounted in suitable bearings or boxings 32, as described for the firstmentioned upper shaft 25 and the boxings or bearings 32 for the additional upper shafts 25 ai'e mounted for adjustment as described Vin connection with the first mentioned upper shaft 25. Therefore, the kmounting o-f these additional upper shafts 25 will need no further detailed description as the lsame reference characters are employed as `for the first upper shaft 25.

On the upper shaft 25 immediately forwardly of the last upper compressing roller 28 is positioned ra slicing or stripping roller 40 which is shown as having a diameter greater than the plain vcompressing rollers and also carrying spaced circumferential knives or'blades 4l for stripping the compressed material as it passes in the form of a sheet between the stripping roller 40 and the lower plain roller 2,8 opposite the same. i This stripping roller 40 and the 'shaft 25 upon which it is mounted should beadj usted with respect tothe corresponding roller 28 so that the blades orv knives V4l will out through the sheets of material passing be-v tween these rollers, thereby stripping the sheet or cutting the same into longitudinal strips.

On theV last or lowermostV upper shaft 25 `is .a transversely cutting roller 42; This roller 42 has longitudinalgrooves 43 formed lin its peripheral portion and extending inwardly a suitable distance to formv pockets or slots for longitudinal blades.. or knives 44. .These knives 44 may be Vsecurely held in the grooves or pockets 48 by. tension screws 45 secured inthe roller 42 and bearing upon the. inner portions of the blades 44, Vas shown in detail clearly in Fig. 8 of the drawings. f The blades 44 have bevelled free longitudinal edges and -are ositioned so that these edges are all extended inthe same direction. The blades 44 are of such a size that'propeir adjustment of the shafts 25 on which the roller 42 is mounted lwill cause the blades'44to cut through the strips of material as they pass between the roller i 42 and the corresponding roller 28 cooperating therewith. rIhis -will result in cutting the strips of material into blocks of the desired size just previous to the discharging of the material from the discharge spout 8 or curved forward end of the trough 5.

Each of the upper shafts 25 throughout the lengths of the trough 5, is provided with a pulley 46 over which the upper belt 47 is engaged for rotating all of the upper shafts l25 in the'same direction andopposite to the directionfof rotation of the lower shafts 25, Y

thereby causing the setsof 'upper and lower rollers to constantly operateto carry the compressed material forwardly. In order to retain the upper belt 47 under proper tension and thereby assure thorough cooperation ofthe upper and lower rollers, tension rollers or idlers v48 arevconstantly engaged withthe upper end of the upper'belt 47, as shown in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 9 of the drawings. These tension rollers or idlers 48 are carried on thespring arms 49 attachedin a. suitable manner to the guide-frame 88, as

shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3 of the V drawings.l VStationary'lower idlers r50 areralso preferably provided on the outer faceof the ad- -jacent side flange 5 of the trough 5 so as to keep the lower end of the upper belt '47'. in engagement with the pulleys 46 of the Yupper shaft 25,- asshown in Figs. 2 and 9 of the drawings. This is essential so that the may be briefly stated, however, that by the Y employment vof" the machine Vas set forthrin this application, ,the mixture after being thoroughly agitated and mixed in the mixing tank l, isrdelivered by wayl of the discharge spout 4 into the upper end of the trough 5 and as it passes in sheet form betweenthe compressing rollers28 arranged in pairs at the Yupper portion of the trough 5, is fed with the greater portion of the liquid and chemicals pressed out of the material,

to the first cutting or stripping rolle-r above one -of the lower plain rollers and then passed beneath the transversely cutting upper roller forthe purpose of severing the strips into blocksv and then discharging the same fromtlie lower or discharge end 8 of the trough 5. be coated with coal dust or the like. previous to the stripping thereof and may also be dried as it passes from the stripping rollerl to the transversely cutting or block cutting roller, thereby making it possible to deliver a thoroughly dried and coated artificial fuel in block form from the discharge end 8 of the trough 5. y y

lrVhile the preferred embodimentof the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that minor changes 4in the details of construction and arrangement If' desired, the material may' y y of what is claimed without departing from` of parts may be resorted to within the scope trough, and operating mechanism for said' Vmentioned means.

2. An'artiticial fuel manufacturing machine comprising a trough, a hopper assoelated with one end of said trough for feeding the contents thereof to said trough, roll- :crs mounted on said trough in sets, certain 'of said sets of rollers compressing the material into sheet form as it passes along sa1d trough, certain of said rollers cutting said sheets into strips for the compressing ther'el of, certain of said rollers cutting said strips of material into blocks vbefore the discharge i of the material from the trough, and means .for operating said rollers.

3. An artificial fuel manufacturing machine kcomprising a hopper, an inclined trough, means extending` from said hopper to deliver the content-s thereof to the upper end of `said trough, compressing rollers arj ranged in pairs along said trough, the roll- `ers at the upper portion oi Vsaid trough compressing the material passing" therethrough into sheet form, certain of the compressing rollers cutting the compressed sheets into strips, certain of said rollers forwardly of the last mentioned rollers cutting the 'strips into blocks, and means for operating said rollers simultaneously.

4.. nu artificial fuel manufacturing machine comprising a hopper, a trough associated with said hopper` and receiving the Ycontents therefrom, compressing rollers arranged alongsaid trough, certain of said rollers compressing the material into sheet form, certain of saidrollers cutting the vsheets into longitudinal strips, one of the' last mentioned rollers having circumferential cutting members arranged thereon, additional rollers arranged to cut th'e strips transversely, one of the last mentioned rollers being provided with longitudinally mov- Abelow able knives, the latter being detachably supporte-d in said roller, vone roller of .each set along the trough being mounted'V for adjustment with respect to .the correspond ing roller, andy means for `operating said' opposite direct-ions.;V Y Y 5. An artificial fuel manufacturing ma-v chine comprising a. 'hopper' having a dis-VV charge spout at its lower portion, a trouglry upper andlower rollers simultaneously Jin arranged .on an incline and adapted tol re- 55 ceive the material discharged'from `said hopper, rollers arranged in sets above and the troughV at 4spaced Y intervals throughout the length thereof,certain of said rollers compressing the` material received in the trough, from the hopper into sheet Jformation, a further' set. of rollers including roller having means for cutting the material into strips, another set of rollers including a. roller having means for cutting the strips into blocks before the Vdischarge'of said material from said trough, separate operating means for the upper and lower rollers of the sets, and tensioning means associated with said operatingl means.. 30

6. An artificial fuelmanufacturing machine comprising a hopper, a trough to receive the material fromr said hopper, means mounted on said trough for compressing the Vmaterial delivered thereto from said hopperV 8 and .pressing the same into slieets,fmeans for cutting the compressed sheets intobloclrs before the discharge ofthe material fromsaid trough.

7. Anartificial fuel manufacturing machine comprising a hopper, a trough for vreceiving the contents of said hopper, supporting meansfor said tro-ugh, rollers arranged in sets above and below said trough the lower rollers entendingv into the bottom of said trough the upper rollers being adjustable with respect to the lower rollers,

means for operating the upper and lower rollers in opposite directions to carry the material longitudinally through said trough, 1

said rollers cooperating to compress the material, certain of said rollers cutting thematerial longitudinally and transversely forming` blocks as it passes in sheet formation through the trough.- L

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

VILLIAM F. MCDEVITT. 

